HIS Intelligent Power Backup Related TSB?

[Aminorjourney]

When initiating a transfer test does the light ring on the truck charger port stay white or does it quickly go off after like 10-20 seconds? In the latter case, you need to push the lock button in the middle of the ring, and disconnect and reconnect the cable (as per Jim Lewis discovery). That seemed to be an issue on the other system I was testing almost every time, but is not something I see on mine. I was able to jump start their system each time once doing that.
The ring should be staying white for a little over a minute before turning green.

No, it does go white, and then go off - but doesn't matter how many times I try to reset it, it doesn't work any more. It *was* working for about two months.

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[Steely]

The issue you describe sounds like it is an issue between the inverter and WHB.
I am making an assumption that the charger LED light is pulsing between dim green and bright green and the charge port light ring is doing the same. If that is not the case then it may be a different issue.

I would guess the inverter cannot see the WHB neutral for some reason. When you are flipping breakers to test the system, how are you doing it.
Assuming the main panel is connected to the WHB200 and then that is connected to the backup panel, you should be turning off the main panel breaker to the WHB as well as the one to the charge station. My first guess at your issue is that you are turning off a different breaker which is disconnecting the WHB from the E4-BDI inverter.

To test I just shut off the main breaker to the original panel for the house. Doing this previously when the system was functional would allow successful transfer testing, it did work a few times with this method, usually after a replug at the truck. No wiring changes have been done since installation, maybe with you're knowledge you could at least point to hardware vs software issue?

When you say whb is that the mid/transfer switch or something else?

My system is probably fairly standard with a solar install. 200a service - main panel - mid - critical loads panel

There is 100a breaker for the FCSP in the main panel
There is a breaker in the critical load panel that feeds the inverter labelled as solar but this is source when in backup mode. I don't touch this or the 100a breaker for the charger to test only the original main breaker.

 

[tearitupsports]

To test I just shut off the main breaker to the original panel for the house. Doing this previously when the system was functional would allow successful transfer testing, it did work a few times with this method, usually after a replug at the truck. No wiring changes have been done since installation, maybe with you're knowledge you could at least point to hardware vs software issue?

When you say whb is that the mid/transfer switch or something else?

My system is probably fairly standard with a solar install. 200a service - main panel - mid - critical loads panel

There is 100a breaker for the FCSP in the main panel
There is a breaker in the critical load panel that feeds the inverter labelled as solar but this is source when in backup mode. I don't touch this or the 100a breaker for the charger to test only the original main breaker.

If you are shutting off the house main breaker at the service entrance then that should be ok. It isn't necessary to test, but should have the same outcome.

What is the last OTA you received? Do you have the M-professional app? That would show inverter errors if there are any.
Yes the WHB is the transfer switch provided with the HIS system. Do you hear the relays in that click over when you shut off the main breaker?
Is your solar fed into the E4-BDI inverter, or is it a separate system?

What loads are on your critical load panel? Have you tried doing this test, with a bunch of your critical load breakers turned off? Maybe the inrush is exceeding what the truck is capable of.

 

[tearitupsports]

No, it does go white, and then go off - but doesn't matter how many times I try to reset it, it doesn't work any more. It *was* working for about two months.

Does your modem seem to be working ok? Do your connected services and the ford pass app work regularly and update correctly?
What happens on the HIS app inside the truck when trying to initiate a switchover?

 

[Aminorjourney]

Does your modem seem to be working ok? Do your connected services and the ford pass app work regularly and update correctly?
What happens on the HIS app inside the truck when trying to initiate a switchover?

It tries - the app thinks it's initiating, but it never completes.

 

[Steely]

If you are shutting off the house main breaker at the service entrance then that should be ok. It isn't necessary to test, but should have the same outcome.

Thinking about this, I suppose you could initiate a backup by shutting the breaker that feeds the backup load panel, seems like it would work and not take the whole house out, so that may be a better way to do it that I didn't consider.

What is the last OTA you received?

6.14 i think was the last one with the karaoke in it.

Do you have the M-professional app? That would show inverter errors if there are any.

Yes, i did not see any inverter errors in the log this most recent time.
A previous test had this in the log:

I asked sunrun about it and they said

"It's actually pretty typical to see inverters with a crazy error log because they're not smart enough to decipher voltage changes, just report them. So that could be an instance of a cloudy day where the panels don't reach enough input voltage for the inverter to produce and the inverter freaks out and says we got a problem, The problem he is experiencing is with the Ford charger, "​

Do you hear the relays in that click over when you shut off the main breaker?

Yes, i hear a thunk with a spring action type of noise in the MID, it is located right next to the panels so its easy to notice.

Is your solar fed into the E4-BDI inverter, or is it a separate system?

It is connected to the E4 BDI, and was installed at the same time as the HIS.

What loads are on your critical load panel? Have you tried doing this test, with a bunch of your critical load breakers turned off? Maybe the inrush is exceeding what the truck is capable of.

Most of the house is on the critial load panel, but I usually do the tests when no one is home and nothing is running so I wouldn't expect this to be an issue. I suppose I could easily test it with most of the load breakers shut off though. Most of these tests the home load is under between 100 to 350w (vampire load for me) in the M professional app.

Here's a picture I sent from the app, showing what is going on during the failing power transfer. This was when the system thinks it is transferring backup to the house but no actual power is flowing. It actually appears that the truck is charging, not sure if this is accurate though.

Thanks for trying to help with this.

 

[Jim Lewis]

Just as an update on what's going on with my system, we had a utility power outage yesterday that lasted more than 20 minutes (our HOA says it was ~45 minutes). My HIS unit does not automatically power on much of the time (only 5 of 11 tries in October, 2024). I was asleep and woke up just as the outage was ending! So, I will pester Ford as to whether they're doing anything to fix systems that require the UNLOCK charger port button trick to come on. I want backup power transfer to work even when I'm asleep or away from home with my truck still "guarding" the fort... Ford has issued all these CSPs for other truck idiosyncrasies. Where's the one for the Home Integration System??? Or did they purposely wash their hands on that to begin with by subcontracting it to Sunrun, @Ford Motor Company? I haven't seen the Ford rep on this forum jumping into too many discussions about how unreliable and sick the Home Integration System is. And it was one of the most prominent things advertised on the launch of the truck. A big mud splat...

 

[Aminorjourney]

It’s really unfit for purpose, Jim.

We have off grid water and septic, and I run a business from home… Sigh.

 

[tearitupsports]

Thinking about this, I suppose you could initiate a backup by shutting the breaker that feeds the backup load panel, seems like it would work and not take the whole house out, so that may be a better way to do it that I didn't consider.


6.14 i think was the last one with the karaoke in it.

Yes, i did not see any inverter errors in the log this most recent time.
A previous test had this in the log:

I asked sunrun about it and they said

"It's actually pretty typical to see inverters with a crazy error log because they're not smart enough to decipher voltage changes, just report them. So that could be an instance of a cloudy day where the panels don't reach enough input voltage for the inverter to produce and the inverter freaks out and says we got a problem, The problem he is experiencing is with the Ford charger, "​

Yes, i hear a thunk with a spring action type of noise in the MID, it is located right next to the panels so its easy to notice.

It is connected to the E4 BDI, and was installed at the same time as the HIS.


Most of the house is on the critial load panel, but I usually do the tests when no one is home and nothing is running so I wouldn't expect this to be an issue. I suppose I could easily test it with most of the load breakers shut off though. Most of these tests the home load is under between 100 to 350w (vampire load for me) in the M professional app.

Here's a picture I sent from the app, showing what is going on during the failing power transfer. This was when the system thinks it is transferring backup to the house but no actual power is flowing. It actually appears that the truck is charging, not sure if this is accurate though.

Thanks for trying to help with this.

It is possible for your solar to power the loads, and the excess to power the truck. Would this screen capture been when your solar is producing? I would think that should always show in the app though but maybe it doesn't do it correctly. The truck will read 0 power transfer but the loads would be working. I suppose that is not your case though.
How long did you let it sit there in this state? I have seen where the E4 inverter errors on over voltage at the first try, and then auto resets itself a few minutes later.
This would show up as an error on the main page. I would be looking for errors that show up in red (not anything in the logs).
Also yes you can just turn off 2 breakers in your main panel to simulate all this. Turn off the breaker to the CSP and the breaker that feeds the MID (WHB200). Your critical loads will of course shut off waiting for the truck, but the other loads still in the main panel will stay on.

 

[Jim Lewis]

I called Ford today about my HIS unit working fully automatically less than 50% of the time and requiring some manual intervention otherwise. A Ford rep said they're still working on OTA updates to fix the system, but no ETA date is available.

 

[Steely]

I called Ford today about my HIS unit working fully automatically less than 50% of the time and requiring some manual intervention otherwise. A Ford rep said they're still working on OTA updates to fix the system, but no ETA date is available.

I feel like this info should be cross posted to the class action thread. More evidence the system doesn't work as advertised.

Also, I will concur, when mine was working the 2 or 3 outages it did not auto transfer, I had to go interact with it in the middle of the night. Thankfully mine is in the garage and not outdoors.

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